Proxy War

Mark Penn, a Clinton pollster, criticized Obama for not detailing his position on the war and voting for Iraq appropriations. "Senator Clinton has taken responsibility for her vote," Penn said. "I think the voters are smart enough to get the full records of the candidates."

But David Axelrod, a top Obama strategist, told Penn that Obama is being cautious about an Iraq withdrawal strategy and chided Penn for attacking a Democratic comrade. "Are we going to spend the next 10 months savaging each other?" Axelrod said.